Hot Off The Presses: Race Director's Short List

Congratulations to all 2012 Kaiser Permanente Pasadena Marathon participants!

I take great pleasure in sharing with you the highlights of the 4th Annual Kaiser Permanente Pasadena Marathon that took place on Sunday.

The Scene. We almost didn’t know what to do with ourselves when Mother Nature presented us with absolutely gorgeous weather on Race Morning—but we made do!  Approximately 7,000 runners, walkers and cyclists took part in our sold-out event, and it was a privilege to be able to watch so many of them cross the finish line. 

The Race Day Festival “camp” was enlivened by team tents, exhibitors, the Kids’ Zone, and tons of spectators, who came to take in the atmosphere and cheer on the athletes. The VIP Tent was an excellent place to relax (we even had couches!), watch finishers come in, and take sustenance with breakfast provided by The Novel Café. Our event announcer kept us abreast of Finish Line happenings throughout the day—even a marriage proposal!  And superb stage entertainment was provided by Core. 

The Winners. I congratulate all of our participants for challenging themselves to take on the streets of Pasadena; as they can attest, this is no easy feat. Special recognition is extended to the overall winners in each of the timed races:

These top finishers took home limited edition framed prints signed by the 2012 Official Artist as well as membership passes from Equinox and mix1 vouchers. All division winners received heavy-duty Kaiser Permanente Pasadena Marathon tumblers (suitable for holding a favorite chilled beverage), vouchers redeemable for earbuds at PureGear, and a meal vouchers from M-Local Mediterranean Grill. If you were unable to retrieve your award on Race Day, please send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to make arrangements for pick up at our office.

Marathon Relay Trial. As you may know, we invited a small number of teams to participate in a Marathon Relay as a trial to determine what it would take to make the relay a permanent offering in our event menu. This was totally experimental and only resembled what the relay would look like when we adopt it in earnest. At any rate, we thank the following teams for being our guinea pigs: A Runner’s Circle, True Grit, 2 Legrit 2 Quit, Arc Club Run 3, Arc Club Run 2, and Pasadena Pacers. Congratulations to A Runner’s Circle, the winning relay team, with the anchor crossing the finish line in 2:35:25. A Runner’s Circle Relay Team members will receive complimentary entries into the 2013 event.

The Photos. Reps from MarathonFoto were strategically placed along the course to capture our athletes in action.  Search for your Images here. Please check our homepage for updates. You may also view a gorgeous album from Jessica Verma Photography by clicking here.

The Thanks. There are so many people who have worked tirelessly to orchestrate this event; I honestly wish I could mention each of you by name, but in the interest of economy, I won’t. Kaiser Permanente, Santa Anita Park, Official Sponsors, Partners and Contributors, City of Pasadena, Race Committee, Pasadena Forward Board of Directors, Race Weekend Volunteers, Participants, and Pasadena City College—thank you, thank you, for believing in our hometown marathon and contributing your time and resources to make it happen!

And The Next Time? We do not have a 2013 date yet, but hang tight for news about our 5^th anniversary event. You can look forward to hearing about:

• Special recognition for Legacy Participants and Founders Club Members;
• Regular contests and promotions, including the opportunity for one very motivated and motivating person to win free entry for life through Israel’s Challenge;
• The Grand Opening of our online store;
• And more wonderful artwork. We are pleased to announce that Marion Eisenmann has been selected to produce the Official Artwork of the 2013 Pasadena Marathon. Congratulations, Marion! We will contact you directly soon.

Have a wonderful summer, and please stay in touch.

Israel Estrada
Race Director